Scottish Executive

Arts

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the opening night of the Scottish National Theatre will be.

Mr Frank McAveety: We want a vibrant theatre sector in Scotland. That’s why we have focussed on strengthening regional theatres in the previous year. We are committed to supporting a National Theatre and the Executive will take this forward in due course.

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what areas within its responsibilities concerning the children of asylum seekers it has made representations to Her Majesty's Government following the case of the Ay children.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive has made no representations to Her Majesty’s Government following the case of the Ay children.

Cancer

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the First Minister what concerns the Scottish Executive has with regard to the delivery of cancer services.

Mr Jack McConnell: There are many challenges to address, but implementation of the Scottish Cancer Plan is making steady progress. More than 300 additional staff are already in place, and we are continuing to support new initiatives such as the Cancer Networks, which are driving down waiting times across Scotland.

Crime

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what new measures it plans to introduce to combat the fear of crime and what best practices it recommends are followed by local agencies in tackling this issue.

Cathy Jamieson: A Partnership for a Better Scotland: Partnership Agreement sets out our commitments to tackle crime and the fear of crime to support stronger, safer communities. We have encouraged all 32 local authorities to establish Community Safety Partnerships to identify and address local community safety priorities, including the fear of crime.

Energy

Mr Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department of Trade and Industry to ensure that the electricity grid between the mainland and the northern and western isles is being strengthened and extended, given the social and economic implications of not doing so.

Mr Jim Wallace: We worked with the DTI in the preparation of a report that was published earlier this year and which assessed the work required to upgrade the transmission system generally to accept increasing amounts of renewables generation. The Executive is also participating in a group that is being led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise to consider the transmission issues arising from potential renewables developments in the northern and western isles.

Europe

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to local authorities will be of compliance with Euro Preparations Guidance, produced by Her Majesty's Treasury and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and whether it will provide financial support to assist them.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1959 on 1 September 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search ..

Finance

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the costings given for infrastructure commitments in A Partnership for a Better Scotland are index-linked.

Mr Andy Kerr: The costings given in A Partnership for a Better Scotland – as is also the convention for all Executive financial publications – are given in cash terms: in other words, they are not index-linked unless specifically identified as such.

  In part this is because the UK Government uses cash numbers for setting the overall control total and in its publications. Having our published numbers on a consistent basis improves transparency. Since our budget is fixed in cash terms, index-linking particular items would also risk breaching the overall budget should inflation prove higher than forecast.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the European Commission regarding any possible ban on cod fishing.

Ross Finnie: There is no proposal for a ban on cod fishing. However, the Commission has presented a revised proposal for cod recovery that envisages reduced fishing activity.

  This more general question of cod recovery was discussed in general terms at the Council of Ministers on 22 July, and will now be discussed in detail in the Council working group, which reconvenes on 11 September.

  The Executive participates in these Council working groups, which afford on-going opportunities for informal discussion with officials from the Commission and other member states. In addition, we participate in more formal bilateral discussions with the Commission and other member states.

  Executive officials most recently participated in formal meetings with Commission officials on 24 June and 17 July.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it will provide to support the establishment of owners’ associations for tenement buildings.

Ms Margaret Curran: Assistance and encouragement for the establishment of owners’ associations is the subject of recommendations by the Housing Improvement Task Force.

  The task force favours the establishment of owners’ associations whether as a requirement for new developments of more than eight units, possibly by amendment to the draft Tenements (Scotland) Bill, or on a voluntary basis in other circumstances. It proposes that local authorities should actively promote the formation of associations particularly where they instigate action on repairs or maintenance. It recommends that local authorities should have power to provide modest grants to assist the establishment of associations. It also recommends that the Scottish Executive should seek to provide advice to developers on good practice and advice and information to owners on taking part in associations.

  We will consider all the recommendations of the Housing Improvement Task Force including those I have outlined.

Parliamentary Visits

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has had in the visit of the Flemish Community Commission including the representative of Vlaams Blok.

Mr Andy Kerr: None.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners are awaiting transfer to HM Prison Peterhead.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Thirty-seven as at 1 September 2003.

Public Sector

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage catering departments of public bodies and local authorities to source locally-produced food.

Mr Andy Kerr: European law on public procurement prohibits discrimination between suppliers on grounds of nationality or locality. However, those involved in purchasing foodstuffs should always take full account of factors such as quality, freshness and, where relevant, sustainable development in their purchasing decisions. We are currently considering further options available to us which would help promote quality and healthy eating in food procurement.

  The procurement section of the Scottish Public Finance Manual emphasises that purchasing decisions should be based on value for money, not lowest price. The Executive has also published guidance for purchasers (Public Procurement and Sustainable Development available on the Executive’s procurement website at www.scotland.gov.uk/procurement) which emphasises the need to integrate relevant sustainable development factors in purchasing decisions.

Public Transport

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage an upturn in bus passenger journeys.

Nicol Stephen: A range of Executive funded initiatives is in place to encourage more people to travel by bus. These initiatives include:

  bus service operators grant;

  free local off-peak bus travel for people aged 60 and over and those with disabilities;

  provision for supported services;

  expenditure through the Public Transport Fund on bus improvement and bus priority measures, and

  expenditure through the Rural Public Passenger Transport on rural public transport services.

Scottish Water

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Scottish Water and what topics were discussed.

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Scottish Water and what issues were discussed.

Ross Finnie: I have regular meetings with representatives of Scottish Water and last met them on Tuesday this week. We discuss a range of topical issues at these meetings.

Transport

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to support the European Union’s "In town without my car!" initiative.

Nicol Stephen: We hosted a workshop in March this year to provide local authorities with results and case studies from UK events in 2002 as well as advice on planning for   In town without my car! day 2003. I also wrote to council leaders in June encouraging them to participate.

Water Charges

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the economic impact of increased water charges on small businesses in the south of Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has not made such an assessment. However, the Water Industry Commissioner provided an economic assessment for Scotland as a whole in the Strategic Charges Review, following which ministers set the revenue cap for Scottish Water and decided that charges should be harmonised across Scotland and reflect the costs of provision of water and sewerage services. Under the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002, it is then for Scottish Water and the Water Industry Commissioner to decide the level of individual charges for particular groups of customers within the framework set by ministers.

World Trade Organization

Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Scotland’s social, environmental and local economic interests are represented and protected at the 5th World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico, from 10 to 14 September 2003.

Mr Jim Wallace: The regulation of international trade is reserved and as such the Department of Trade and Industry take the lead on this matter. The Scottish Executive remains in close contact with Whitehall colleagues on matters of international trade, including WTO negotiations, and how they may impact on the Executive’s responsibilities.